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If Wishes Were FishesOr
a Mage, a Monkey, and a Magic Carpet Ride
GagMen Episode 31
January 2015A Basic Fantasy Adventure
Written by the GagMen on the GagMen RPG PodcastIllustrations by Gaghouse Productions
Contact: [email protected] Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined by the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section 8, and are not Open Content: All
trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names, dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, adventurers, artwork, and the trade dress. Elements that have previously been designated as Open Content or
Public Domain are not included in this declaration.
Open Content: Except for the material designated as Product Identity above, the game mechanics of the Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game is Open Game Content, as defined in the
Open Game License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission.
Because the Open Gaming License is available to view online, we didnt feel the need to include the entire document in our little adventure. To view the current copy of the Open
Gaming License:http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/OGLv1.0a.rtf
This adventure idea is licensed under the Creative Com mons Attribution 4.0 International License. As with most GagMen adventure ideas, we dont need the money but we do like
the credit. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
.
Table of ContentsIntroduction ....................................................... 2
Adventure Summary .......................................... 2
Setting/Theme ................................................... 3
Tengoku.......................................................... 3
The Village of Hokai ...................................... 3Plot ..................................................................... 4
A fish walks into a bar................................. 4
Oh, the Fish-manity! ...................................... 4
The Caves of the Koi ....................................... 5
Plop, plop, fizz, fizz...................................... 6
Whole lotta shakin goin on.......................... 6
Who is Mondegreen (black?) ......................... 6
Hard Times in Hawkwood .............................. 6
Ape Pagoda .................................................... 7
A Wizards (house) work is never done .......... 7
Conflict ............................................................... 7
The library of Mondeblack ............................. 8
If the Library is Rockin................................ 9
The Crazy Carpet Chase ................................. 9
Threats upon Threats..................................... 9
Look Ma, No Legs!.................................... 10
Wish upon a Fish .......................................... 10
Super Happy Fun Ending .............................. 10
Characters ........................................................ 11
Details .............................................................. 14
Bestiary ........................................................ 14
Tanuki .......................................................... 15
History of the WorldFish .............................. 16Goon Rules ................................................... 16
G1501
http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/OGLv1.0a.rtfhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/OGLv1.0a.rtf -
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IntroductionThis adventure was created with the Basic Fantasy Rules (by Chris Gonnerman) but could be used for
most retro-clone versions of Dungeons & Dragons, or any version of Dungeons & Dragons with which you maybe more familiar. The adventure is designed for beginning level characters, preferably between levels 1 - 3, and
was written with lots of silly little things meant to keep your gaming experience fun.Brattleburg is the central city of the GagMens in house fantasyworld, and serves as a starting place for
most of our fantasy adventures. While definitely tailored to our needs, Brattleburg is adaptable with most fantasysettings. The main philosophy behind the World of Brattleburg is that not all members of the monster speciesare thoughtless killers to be used by the game master; rather, every race has a diversity of personalities andculture that makes them worthwhile. Parties exploring Brattleburg and the surrounding region may findthemselves helping ogres, traveling with goblins, or rationalizing with a Minotaur. The GagMen love to addcomedic twists and plenty of fun to every adventure, we encourage you to be a creative and enthusiastic GM;create new content, throw in your own twist or flair, and polish up any parts of the game where you think wetook a wrong step. As the GM, YOU are a co-writer, so make it your own!
Far East of Brattleburg lays a land where elements of China, Japan, India, and even dashes of Arabicflavors combine to form the island continent of Tengoku.
As always, we ask that you do not feed, mock, laugh at, encourage, lead on, seduce, hypnotize, starve,compliment, strike, or massage the GagMen, as 80% of the known GagMen population are married, and theirspouses get jealous when others horn in on their territory. The GagMen are aware that koi cannot walk and talk,though we are fairly confident in the existence of Dire Koi, as there can be no other explanation for the beastliving at the local Chinese place. Please remember, Tanuki are definitely fiction, and just because the raccoons on
your property occasionally outsmart you, that doesnt necessarily mean they know Karate.
Adventure Summary
Back in the mystical land of Tengoku, the party finds themselves called on a quest by a not so coy Koinamed Coy. With the island in danger, a walking and talking fish running the risk of gill cancer thanks to his newcigar habit, and a missing enchanted gem, the land Far East of Brattleburg may soon find itself going south! Canthe heroes restore the balance, solve the mystery of the world fish, and eat their takeout noodles before they gocold? Find the answer in If Wishes were Fishes!
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Setting/ThemeTengoku
A small island
continent, Tengoku can be
difficult to reach due to the
treacherous waters that
surround it. Even the most
experienced sailors have a difficult time navigating
their way to the island, and even then only with
the sturdiest of ships. In fact, the Makudo-Maru
is the only ship able to make the trip safely; as
such all trade, travel, and commerce relies on the
huge vessel. While the waters around Tengoku
are home to sea monsters, most have learned not
to interfere with the voyage of the Makudo-Maru;
the ships defenses and armaments make it more
than a match for any serpent.
Tengoku is known for its many herbs and
spices used for anything from medicinal purposes
to getting your chicken just right. Theres evenan old legend that tells of a time when an
overreaching Colonel came for Tengokus chicken
recipes, but was repelled by a great Tengoku
General.
The island has a variety of environments,
such as the Tien-Zo Mountains and their
snowcapped peaks, which serve as home to the
great Hwang-Tang-Ba monastery. The land is cut
by the Sweetwater Rivers, of which the people say
that the water is so sweet and pure that one
drink will quench any thirst. The rivers feed the
lush forests and fertile farmlands, which provide
some of the most delicious vegetation ever grown.
Recently the island continent has been
plagued by a series of tremors, bringing fear to
the people of Tengoku. While there are old
volcanos on the island, none are smoking or show
any activity.
The Village of Hokai
Hokai is a peaceful seaside town, and the
people are friendly and welcoming. As a fishing
town, the port is open to small fishing boats and
the occasional transport. Hokai is home to lessthan a hundred people and 20 or so buildings,
among them the three story pagoda that houses
the well-established Izakaya, a quant sake
shop. On the main street there are many street
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vendors selling beautiful and delicate dining plates
and vases. Thanks to the fishermen, the distinct
smell of aging fish permeates the village; though
most of the natives dont notice(the PCs may not
be so lucky).
Plotfish walks into a bar
The adventuring party is enjoying a
round at the Izakaya, a local sushi and sake bar,
when a three-foot-tall fish flounders in. The fish
is wearing a few vestments of clothing and seems
a little out of breathe. He slaps his hand on the
counter and orders a shot of sake and lights up a
cigar that he pulls from his pocket. After he
downs a few good slugs of sake, he takes a good
long look around and sizes up the main
characters before heading over to their table.
Eventually, the fish will walk over and tellthe players his tale:
So you bums may have noticed I aint
exactly what you would call one of the regulars,
he says sarcastically. The name is Coy, he flicks
a few ashes from his cigar, and I doubt my story
would interest you, but maybe thiswill. Coy
tosses a brilliant shining coin onto the table; as
the gold coin settles, the heroes can see it is
engraved with ancient writing. The finish of the
coin is the most remarkable, as it appears as if it
were cast only yesterday.
Once the party has found their
motivation to listen to his story, he will carry on
about how a crazy lady (Nobuki) has been
tampering with glowing gem inside the cave that
is his home. From Coys descriptions it sounds
like a cavern not far from the town. This unusual
womans dealings with the cavern has upset the
balance (possibly the cause of the tremors feltlately) of nature. Coy seems to imply that, for
reasons beyond his understanding, he was
transformed and slipped out of the cavern to find
helpThe Flip Flop
During the conversation an earthquake
occurs, and the party will witness Coy changing
form into a full human, then immediately into a
koi. They will have to rush him over to a pitcher
of water or the rain barrel outside. This will
make it difficult to understand Coy, and the
situation will force the group to carry around
water for the fish to stay alive in. He is still able
to point in general
directions and
though he is
unable to speak,
he stillunderstands the
group and will
respond.
Oh, the Fish-manity
A group of scruffy patrons overheard
some of the conversation, and their eyes lit up
when they saw the coin. The leader of their
group, Toru will dump a barrel of dead fish on
the table with hopes of grabbing Coy in all the
confusion. Toru has six of his men in the bar
that will help throw fish around to increase the
confusion. Expect that this fish confusion will
break down into an actual fight. Try to stay with
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throwing fish at one another, keeping everything
non-lethal and a little fun. (See Details)
The Caves of the Koi
With Toru and his thugs out of the way,
the party will take Coy and use him to guide the
party back to the Caves of the Koi. The trip will
take a day hiking along the coastline, and the
caves will be found in a series of inlets along the
cliff face and the beach. Feel free to have the
party feel a few tremors along the way and shift
Coy into a form that may be more helpful to the
group depending on the random encounters along
the way.
Upon reaching the caves the party will
encounter some of Nobukis henchmen outside, as
well as a few walking back and forth through thecave itself. If the adventuring party has been to
Tengoku in the past adventure (see The Tao of
Ato), they may recognize the army symbol that
most of the guards are wearing is that of
Tekazi. Nobuki is in the cave trying to siphon
power off the gem and transforms two normal koi
into monster koi to defend her when the party
appears. Coy will try to rationalize with the
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monsters, but they have been transformed into
creatures of pure rage thrashing about, knocking
Coy into the pool and knocking the gem loose.
Plop, plop, fizz, fizz..
In the confusion of the fight Nobuki will
finish siphoning off her gem and sneak away
before the party can notice. When the gem falls
into the pond, it dissolves causing the pond to
glow a bright green. When Coy emerges from the
pond the glow follows, leaving Coy glowing a
brilliant green for a few seconds before dimming
to normal. It should be apparent to the party
that Coy has somehow absorbed the power of the
gem.
Whole lotta shakin goin on
After fifteen
minutes have
passed a seriousearthquake will
strike Tengoku,
shaking rocks
loose and sending a rush of water running into
the cave. Any character in the caves will have to
make a dexterity check or be knocked off their
feet and washed out to the ocean. Each time a
quake strikes, the party should experience a
similar situation, trying to avoid opening chasms
or falling objects. Coy will know that with the
jewel of harmony removed the island is certain to
sink and somehow the gem has fused with his
body. Only a wizard as powerful as Mondegreen
could separate the gem from the ever changing
fish-man. However Mondegreen lives far away
near Brattleburg; the only wizard close enough
and of similar ability is his clone,
Mondeblack.
Who is Mondegreen
(black?)
A powerful
wizard like Mondegreen
would have the power to
restore the gem and the
koi, but Mondegreen
doesnt live on
Tengoku. Mondegreen is one of the more
powerful and sought after wizards of the world,
so much so that he cloned himself so he could be
more accessible. As per Mondegreens spells,
none of his clones came out perfect; each comes
with varying tastes and styles, but they all have
the same take on the mystical arts. Mondeblack
has become the magical beacon of Tengoku,
sporting darker colored robes, trimmed with gold
stitching. Following many of the meditation
techniques of the monasteries on Tengoku has
helped to calm the wizard, far more than his
original creator.
Hard Times in Hawkwood
Mondeblack has awizardspagoda twenty
miles (32 kilometers) due north from Hokai
through the Hawkwood Forest. One of the first
thoughts any character would have is, Why is it
called Hawkwood? If any player should say it
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aloud, throw out a dire hawk attack, just to make
sure they get the full effect.
The Hawkwood Forest is a mix of
bamboo clumps, maple, birch, and peach trees
that make for good coveragainst the dire hawks and
owls that fly overhead. A small
group of Tanuki live in the forest
and gather fruits and nuts to trade
with Hokai. Before leaving Hokai with
one of the trading tanuki and offering to
protect their wagons in exchange for guidance
through Hawkwood.
It will take a hard days ride on horseback
to reach the craggy rock face, north of
Hawkwood, where Mondeblacks pagoda
stands. If the party decides to
travel with the tanuki, or stops to
help someone along the way, it
could take two full days of travel
to travel through Hawkwood.
Ape Pagoda
The pagoda stands eight
stories high and sticks out
through the forest canopy. There
are wooden shutters and doors all
around the tiered levels. The
wood is coated in heavy black
lacquer with decorative gold
painted trim along the
edges. Outside of the front door
is an oversized gorilla, sitting on
a stool, that is folding paper into
intricate origami statues adorning
a small table. The gorillas name
is Shichi and he is the protector and assistant to
Mondeblack.
Shichi is a very intelligent gorilla, but a gorilla
just the same; while the party may try to talk to
him, he is unable to do morethan hand gestures. If the
group makes any suspicious moves
or tries to attack Shichi, he will ring an
alarm bell by the door. If the party tries to
talk or negotiate with Shichi, he
will take the group around back
where Mondeblack is working on laundry.
A Wizards (house) work is never done
The group will find Mondeblack behind
his pagoda walking around in a
loincloth yelling at his cloths on
the drying line. He recently had
a spell backfire and was trying
to wash out the smell of burnt
parrot. If Shichi brings theparty around, Mondeblack will
make several accusatory
statements directed to his ape
assistant, but Shichi will ignore
it and wave the crazy wizard
off. If asked why a wizard is
doing laundry, he will respond
that magic isnt always an
instant cure and it shouldnt be
used to solve every problem
even if it does.
Conflict
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The library of Mondeblack
Mondeblack will put on his wet robes
and invite the party
in. Inside the pagoda the
walls are lined with
bookshelves with a stairwell on the
far wall, and a table with several
chairs in the
center. Mondeblack will ask
Shichi to get them some tea, which
he will grumpily put together for the
group. After describing the problem and
introducing Coy, Mondeblack will look confused
about why Nobuki took the gem at all. The gem
was only used at the annual celebration years
ago, it was a gem charged with
pyrotechnic spells, nothing more. The
key to the balance of
the island and the
true magic of the pool
came from Coy, the
Worldfish that has been
in the cave to thousands
of years. The
earthquakes arent
being caused by some
mysterious gem; it is
that Coy left to begin
with.
Coy will act surprised,
reassuring the group that he is not
this magical Worldfish, and definitely
doesn't possess the power over the lands or
even his own body. Mondeblack will pull a
book from the wall, entitled History of
Tengoku, and opens it to a picture of a giant
Koi, so large the entire island is on its
back. Dont worry, it isnt literal,
but it is still quite accurate,
Mondeblack declares.
That isnt me! Coy
insists as he stabs his
finger/flipper at the picture in the book. Coy
should react in a state of denial, giving theplayers a chance to role-play on a personal level
with the DM as Coy. Coy will have a difficult
time accepting that he is the worldfish, but
dont feel the need to dwell on it
because the adventure will need to get
moving along soon. It is important to note
Coys hesitation and uncertainty to get the
party to wonder if he is the worldfish too.
The worldfish keeps
and maintains the balance;
Coy must have felt the
imbalance because of the
disturbance of Nobuki in the cave
and went to look for help. All the
group has to do is turn Coy back
to his normal koi self and return him to
the cave. Mondeblack has a simple vial, with a
bright green liquid, that should revert Coy to his
normal self and he can take it as soon as he gets
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back to the pool.
If the Library is Rockin
Shichi will ring the bell outside and
come running through the door to grab a boken
(wooden sword) that was sitting by the door. A
group of soldiers from Nobukis men will run
through the door followed by Nobuki. Nobuki
will offer to take Coy and leave peacefully, and
perhaps throwing a few threats at
Mondeblack.
Mondeblack will direct the group to
follow him to the top of the tower, where he
keeps a flying carpet that everyone can use to
escape and get back to the cave. The group will
have to fight their way up the stairs, fending off
Nobuki and her soldiers. Make sure to start
throwing lots of books and use the goon rules
(see Details) to get a lot of mileage and
adventure out of this fight to the top of the
pagoda.
By the time they reach the top of the pagoda,
an extensive earthquake will begin shaking the
pagoda at its very foundation. Mondeblack can
tell that this is the quake that will sink the
island; he must stay focused to keep the island
afloat. Mondeblack will sit cross-legged in the
center of the flying carpet and close his
eyes. Mondeblack will not be able to help the
group until Coy has been returned to the cave
and the island is no longer in danger of sinking.
The Crazy Carpet Chase
The carpet knows where to go and will
require little directions or controls once
Mondeblack is sitting on it. Once they are flying
over Hawkwood the group may expect an
attack from the dire-hawks, but the surprise is
that Nobuki and her followers are using them to
follow in pursuit. So the party is trapped on a
large lumbering carpet, being attacked by a
flying gang of hawks. The party may try to
improvise several tactics to take down the hawk
riders.
Threats upon Threats
With Mondeblack in a meditative state
the island quakes are almost non-existent, but
he will not be able to help battle against
Nobuki. Nobuki, a powerful sorceress, will yell
threats of killing them all if they do not turn
over Coy. She may grab their attention by
insisting that even if they return Coy back to the
pond she will wait until they are not around and
take him. She will be difficult for the group to
battle even without any guards, but if they
return Coy to the pond, Mondeblack will be free
to take care of Nobuki and the island will be
saved. The point during the final chase through
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the caverns is to help make the party feel
pressured to make them hesitate or doubt their
abilities.
Look Ma, No Legs!
With a few quick goodbyes from Coy,
he will drink the potion that Mondeblack
gave them, and dive back into the koi
pond. This might be a good dramatic
moment to have Nobuki and any
remaining henchmen to corner the
party. Mondeblack will come out
of his meditation state with the
island safe again, but appear
weakened and drained from the
ordeal. Nobuki will take this
moment to gloat over how hard they fought
and it was all such a waste since she can now
take what she wants and no one can stop her.
Nobuki, feeling bold, will get closer and
closer to Mondeblack, so she can rub her
victory in the wizards face. What she doesnt
know is that Mondeblack is carrying a magic
lantern that he will entrap Nobuki, once she
gets within touching range. With Nobuki
trapped, her men will flee as quickly as possible.
Wish upon a Fish
Coy restored has his full memories and
finally recognizes himself as the fish that is
responsible for the island of Tengoku, but
because of Nobukis tampering Coy and the
island had become unstable. Through a
telepathic announcement Coy says, Thank you
for all your help. Because of your selflessness,
you are each granted a (limited) wish. Tengoku
thanks you for your
service.
Super Happy Fun Ending
With Tengoku
saved and Nobuki
imprisoned, it may seem
impossible to make it much
better, but there is also the
possibility that Mondeblack can keep
Coy as a human and still save Tengoku. Perhaps
Mondeblack calls out for help from the other
Mondegreen clones and they show up just in
time, with all their power combined they
permanently raise Tengoku without the help of
Coy. If you want to go even happier have
Nobuki realize the error of her ways and join
forces with Mondeblack. As one last
alternative, Mondeblack tricks Nobuki into
taking the power from Coy forcing her to
become a fish and be trapped in the pond for
the rest of her days.
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CharactersCoy the Koi
As Koi(AC 12; hp 2; #AT: 1; DMG slap 1d2; save as Fighter lvl 1)
As Fish-Man(AC 11; hp 3; #AT: 1; DMG short flipper/fist 1d2; save as Fighter lvl 1)As Human(AC 10; hp 4; #AT: 1; DMG fist 1d2; save as Fighter lvl 1)
A fish from the Cave of Koi, Coy is the fish that held the balance needed to keep
the island of Tengoku afloat. Because he has left his original pond for the first time in over
six-thousand years, he is unstable and keeps shifting from fish, fish-man, and human each time
there is an earthquake. He must be returned to the pond before the island has a final
earthquake and sinks for good. Once he is transformed back into the Worldfish at the end of
the adventure (hopefully), the character should be treated as a god or demigod character with
similar powers and features.
Nobuki
(AC 15, Magic-User 6, #AT 1, Damage Kasurigama (1d8), Mv 30,
Sv Magic-User 6, MI 10, HP 17)
Spells: 1st Level Spells - Sleep, Ventriloquism, Shield;
2nd Level Spells - Locate Object, Invisibility
3rd Level Spells - Fireball, Water Breathing
Magic Items: Ring of Protection + 2, Wand of Magic Missiles (11
charges), Potion of Healing, Scroll (Haste)
The illegitimate daughter of Tekazi (see previous
adventure The Tao of Ato), she reorganized her fathers followers
and has plans to take back her right to the throne. She has heard
of a gem in the Caves of Koi that possesses enough power for her
to rule over the land again. Her plan is to siphon off the power
to a second jewel, but the jewel is somewhat erratic and difficult to siphon, taking her longer than she is
expecting.
Toru
(AC 16, Fighter 3, #AT 2, Damage 2x Katana (1d8), Mv 30, Sv F3,MI 9, HP 19)
The Captain of Nobukis personal guard and one of the former palace guards for Tekazi. Toru has no
patients for silliness or childish games. Toru is always at Nobukis side certain that he is protecting the next
empress of Tengoku.
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o ukis Guards
(AC 15, Fighter 3, #AT 1, Damage Yari Spear (1d10), Mv 30, Sv F3, MI 8, HP 18) Equipment: Chain Mail and
Yari
Mondegreen
This crazy old wizard really isnt in the story, but we felt it important for DMs to understand how
Mondeblack came into being and what Mondegreen is all about. As a powerful wizard, Mondegreen was
constantly getting called away to deal with one problem or another in all corners of the world. Eventually,
he came to the conclusion that he could get a lot more done if there were more of him to go around. He
took it upon himself to create clones that could take care of problems locally and thus avoid travelling
around the world once a month.
The cloning spell took one other mage and two clerics to complete the process, but in the end
Mondegreen was able to make six copies of himself. The copies were perfect in appearance and knowledge,
but different in attitudes and ideas. Because of their similarities and differences they each took on a
different color to designate one from the other.
Mondeblack
(AC 15, Magic-User 6, #AT 1, Damage Bo Staff (1d8), Mv 30, Sv Magic-
User 6, MI 10, HP 17)
Spells: 1st Level Spells - Floating Disc, Magic Missile, Sleep
2nd Level Spells - Levitate, Wizard Lock
3rd Level Spells - Clairvoyance, Lightning BoltMagic Items: Elven Cloak, Ring of Protection + 1, Tomb of Tengoku
(dont let the island sink), Wand of Polymorph (16 charges), (2x)
Potion of Healing, Scroll (Fly)
Mondeblack is the clone of the wizard Mondegreen, and is
sworn to help protect the island continent of Tengoku. He favors
wearing black silk robes with gold trim, and has a pagoda north of the
Hawkwood Forest. He personally trained Shichi to become his assistant, and the two have worked together
for over six years faithfully. Mondeblack started with a small collection of fifteen tomes that Mondegreen
sent him out with and his collection has grown to fill the walls of all eight stories of his pagoda.
Shichi
(AC 14; hp 11; #AT: 1; DMG boken 1d6; save as Fighter lvl 2)
Magic Items: Boken (Wooden Sword) +1 Flame on Command
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A four-hundred pound Gorilla with silver flecked black fur, Shichi has been trained to assist
Mondeblack in his work. Shichi responds to common, but is unable to
communicate outside of grunts and hand gestures. He has recently been mastering
the art of origami and will have a dozen examples of his work on a table in front ofMondeblacks pagoda.
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DetailsBestiary
(Far East of Brattleburg)
Dire-Hawk
ArmorClass: 15HitDice:4No. of Attacks: 2talons 1 beak
Damage: 1d4/1d4/1d6
Movement: Fly 150 (10)No. Appearing: 1d6Save As: Fighter: 4Morale: 8Treasure Type: None
XP: 250
Dire-Hawks are birds of prey, able to lift man-sized creatures into the air, though they prefer Halfling-sized
creatures as they are easier to fly away with. With a wingspan of up to eight-feet across and talons that
hold shield as if it were a coin, the dire-hawks are nothing to be rivaled with. They live in Hawkwood, but
will hunt up to a hundred miles from the forest, attacking easy livestock. These hawks are
moderately intelligent and can be trained to ride.
Dire-Koi
Armor Class: 14Hit Dice: 3No. of Attacks: 1 biteDamage: 1d6Movement: Swim 50 (10)
No. Appearing: 1d6Save As: Fighter: 3Morale: 7Treasure Type: None
XP: 85
Dire-Koi are rare in the wild, sticking to freshwater sources and only on
Tengoku, which is a small continent. Koi are a normally docile fish, with no ill
intentions, unless their territory is being threatened, Dire-Koi are aggressive with
even less provocation.
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Tanuki
as a Character Race (Optional)
Designed for use with Basic Fantasy by Chris
Gonnerman
Common VillagerArmor Class: 11Hit Dice: 1No. of Attacks: 1 pitchfork or rakeDamage: 1d4Movement: 30No. Appearing: 1d6Save As: Fighter: 1Morale: 6Treasure Type: P
XP: 20
The Tanuki villagers inside Hawkwood Forest
are scroungers, finding roots, vegetables, and fruits where
they can. They try to scurry from tree to tree, staying
under the forest canopy, and avoiding any contact with
the Dire Hawks.
Description:
Tanuki are a small humanoid (around 3 feet
average height), with fur covering their entire body, a tail,
and a Raccoon-like fur pattern. They are generally plumpor stocky as a species and very agile. As a race they are
very dexterous, and some might even say bouncy leaping
about when excited. Their furry coats and large eyes
make them very likeable by almost every race.
They are typically friendly and outgoing and in
some cases outspoken as they will not let a wrong go
undone, nor will they let it go if they find a problem in
the right. As natural born brewers they use their senses
to help refine food and drink, they are the most critical of
all food and drink than any other race in the
world. Tanuki advanced senses have made them some of
the best spear fishermen on Tengoku. Commonly a
curious people, less in some and more in others, as the
common catchphrase around Tanuki is, Dont touch
that!
Restrictions:
Tanuki favor the Thief and will gain 10%
experience as they learn faster in this class. They are
required to have a minimum Charisma and Dexterity of
9, as even the ugliest Tanuki is simply adorable to the
rest of the world. Because of their smaller size they are
not able to use large weapons (weapons over 4 feet), as
they become unwieldy.
Special A bilities:
Their small size makes them harder to hit, any
larger than man sized creatures will suffer -2 to hit on
the Tanuki in melee combat. They have a heightened
sense of smell and hearing. They can smell or hear an
approaching enemy from 100 away, presuming that wind
isnt a factor.
Saving Throws: +2 vs Poison, Magic Wands, Paralysis orPetrify, and spells; +4 vs Breath Weapon; +4 vs any
drinking affects.
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7/25/2019 If Wishes Were Fishes
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~ 16 ~
History of the WorldFish
Thousands of years before Tengoku existed, a group of people fleeing persecution were stranded
in the middle of the ocean with nowhere they could go. The land they fled from was now ruled by an evil
tyrant who would have them killed if they returned; and no other lands would have them. They had all but
given up hope when a young boy, Hiro, caught a fish that promised a wish if it was
released. The boy asked for a land for him and his people. From the
simple wish of a child the island of Tengoku rose from the ocean, the
fish asked only to have a home on Tengoku also, to be away from
fishermen and other predators. Hiro, the wise, became the first emperor
and would visit the Caves of the Koi often for any advice from his new
fish friend. The fish was happy and often granted small wishes to help
Hiro and his people, eventually Hiro passed and his predecessors forgot
about the fish. Now only some of the oldest books keep the story alive.
Goon Rules
(or, Rules for Fight Choreography)
The Minion Rule appears in the 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide, and
describes using half or quarter stat versions of a monster to give the party more to fight and to add to the
adventuresflavor. The first appearance of rules for cannon fodder troops was introduced in Feng Shui by
Robin D. Laws, specifically known as Mook Rules. The thought behind renaming the rule was to separate
it from the D6 system design from the original Feng Shui, and retune the rule to work with Basic Fantasy
and the OSR. The purpose of the rule is to add a cinematic flare to your
game, it may be necessary to emphasize to your players that the Goon Rules
are in play and not in play if you decide not to use them at all times in the
game.
Goons and Mooks are basically bad guys, swarms of them, all
nameless and all brandishing the same or similar weapons. With goon rules
in place, its easy to ampup your casual fights and adds cinematic flare to
your game without bogging your game down in mounds of stats and
paperwork. These rules are designed for action based games, with an
emphasis on fun and excitement, each action should add flash, style and abit of showmanship. The rules will not work very well for a heavy suspense
style of game, unless it is used in between the mystery scenes.
It should be noted that goon rules will not work in a heavy combat game either. Wait, combat is
action, you say? Well, a combat game is usually based off of miniature or tactical combat actions, where
each round is measured out and every hit point is counted. So a character will know the events of each
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~ 17 ~
attack as they play out, for example: A fighter is cornered in a kitchen by three men and the fight takes six
rounds of combat. The other party members hear the action after the first round and go in to help, cutting
the combat down to two rounds.
But using the Goon Rules, you can make dramatic fighting happen, allowing you to rocket back to
the story and give the character a little more style. For example, a group of characters are sitting in a pub,the fighter goes to checkout something he saw out of the corner of his eye, he walks into the kitchen and the
group sees five goons surround him. The door closes, the rest of the party gets up from the table, and the
fighter opens the door with a pile of goons in the middle of the kitchen floor.
A rule to follow when using the Goon Rule, is simply ask yourself if the fight is progressing the
story and how can it be more exciting. When calculating how to do some crazy stunt, if it is exciting, always
add bonuses to success. Characters should always be attacking more than one creature and usually using a
prop or improvised weapon.
Goon Rules applied to Basic Fantasy
1. Goons are nameless
2. All named characters get +5 to hit any goon, or start with a base
goon AC of 5
3. Goons have a -5 to hit any named character
4. multiple goons may be the target of a single attack
5. Attacking more than one goon, characters have -1 to hit roll per
goon added
6.
Goon fights are considered knock out fights; goons are knockedunconscious or out of combat with one hit. Ignore normal hit
point rules.
7. Improvised weapons add +1 to hit for any character or goon
8. Improvised stunt (swinging from chandelier, block shot with table,
running on a rolling barrel, knocking out roof supports, flipping
over goons, etc.) +1 per effect
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7/25/2019 If Wishes Were Fishes
19/19
Back in the mystical l
of Tengoku, the party fi
themselves called on a
quest by a not so coy K
named Coy. With the is
in danger, a walking and
talking fish running the
of gill cancer thanks to
new cigar habit, and a
missing enchanted gem,
land Far East of Brattleb
may soon find itself goi
south! Can the heroes
restore the balance, solv
the mystery of the worl
fish, and eat their takeo
noodles before they go
cold? Find the answer
If Wishes were Fishes!
If Wishes Were Fishes
Or
A Mage, a Monkey, and
Magic Carpet Ride
GagMen Episode 31
January 2015
A Basic Fantasy Adventu
Written by the GagMen o
the GagMen RPG Podcas
Illustrations by Gaghous
Productions
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